Running board



HUE. BARTSCH RUNNING-BOARD I Jame 4 1946.,

Filed Aug. 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l -1NVENTOR. 17673567325 Y m n A June 45-, 2946, H. E. BARTSCH 2,402,401 I I v RUNNING BOARD Y FiledAug. 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

V @w Q Patented June 4, 1946 RUNNING BOARD Herbert E. Bartsch, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Universal Railway Devices Company, a corporation of Delaware Application August 4, 1940, Serial No. 351,355

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to railway equipment and more particularly to running boards for railway cars and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a new and improved running board having a novel supporting frame formed from a single length of material.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved running board that is so constructed, and the parts so arranged, that the board has a minimum of weight and a maximum of strength.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved tread portion so connected to the supporting frame that the tread will extend above the plane of the frame a short distance so that the entire upper surface of the board will be of substantially uniform construction to function as an anti-slipping surface.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved running board that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easily assembled, efficient in operation, and that is not likely to become broken, distorted, or get out of order.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a railway car, with parts broken away, and showing the invention in position thereon;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the running board as attached to the roof of a freight car, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a section of the running board, with parts broken away;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation thereof; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing a modified form of fastening means.

Practically all box cars are provided with running boards extending along the roof above the car so that the brakemen may have access to the brake wheels and may walk from end to end of the car, or from one car to another. Since the brakemen are required to traverse these running boards while the car is in motion, as well as at rest, the question of safety in the shape, form and construction of the running board is extremely important. The present invention seeks to provide a running board that is safe and reliable, that has an anti-slipping surface, and that 2 is so constructed that snow, mud, and dirt will not collect onthe tread and render the same more or less hazardous in use. In other words the tread surface is self-cleaning. The parts are so constructed and assembled that the running board is light in weight, has maximum strength, and at the same time the cost of production an' installation is reduced to a minimum.

Referring now to the drawings the reference,

character iii designates a railway car having the side walls ii, end walls i2, and roof section 13 of the usual or any Well-known construction. Along the center line of the roof, as is usual in such constructions, is a running board i4, comprising a plurality of sections l5 that are detachably connected together and to the car as will presently appear. Each of the sections i5 comprises a frame i6 which is preferably, though not necessarily, made from a single strip of material bent to rectangular shape. to form the side Walls, i1 and iii, the end walls i9 and 2i, and the reinforcing member 22 as shown more clearly in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The end wall 2i is in two sections 2ia and 2ib Welded together. The section Zia is formed by a portion of one end of the frame strip which extends only to the center line of the frame and the section Zib, which constitutes the other end of the strip forming the frame i6, is in alignment with the section Zia, and together they constitute the end member 2! of the frame it. The end member Zia is secured to the section 2! as at 23 by welding or the like. The end section Zia is bent to extend along the center line of the frame to form a longitudinally extending reinforcing member 22, and has its end connected to the end bar i9, as by welding or the like, as shown at 24 in Fig. 4. It will thus be seen that the frame it is a continuous bar having the end and side walls and a central reinforcing member 22 integral. Each frame i6 may be considered as a pair of rectangles having a common side. In making the frame, the bar is bent to rectangular form with the end Zib extending only partially across one end of the rectangle. The other end of the bar is given a right angle bend adjacent to the first mentioned end to complete or close the frame, and is extended longitudinally of the frame to the opposite end thereof to form a rectangular frame having a longitudinal reinforcing member. While in the construction shown the reinforcing member 22 is along the center line of the frame it is understood that it may be at one side or the other of the center line. One or more additional bars extending longitu- 3 dinally of the frame and connected to the end sections may be provided.

In order to rigidify the frame structure one or more transverse rods or bars 25 may also be employed. In the form of the construction shOWn two of these bars are used although it is understood that the number may be varied as occasion may require. The reinforcing rods 25 extend through openings 26 provided in the longitudinal member 22, and have their ends in abutment with the side frame members I! and I8 of the frame I6, as shown in Fig. 4. The bars 25 are welded, as at 21, and 28 to the side frames, and are also welded, as at 29, to the longitudinal reinforcing member 22 so that the parts will be held in rigid position.

During the manufacture of the sections I5, after the frame I6 is formed, the portion of the end bars I9, 2Ia and 21b, adjacent to the side bars I I and I 8, are bent upwardly as shown at 3I and 32 in Fig. 3, after which the reinforcing members 25 are secured in position as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6.

A suitable tread of reticulated material or expanded metal 3!! is attached to the frame I6 for constituting the tread of the running board. In the form of construction shown, the conventional reticulated or expanded material 33, Fig. 4, is employed for this purpose. This material comprises web portions 34 and connecting strands 35, which are bent to form diamond-shaped openings 36, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. In slitting or shearing the metal and distorting the same to form the diamond-shaped openings, the strands and web portions are so bent that one edge is uppermost, and these sharp edges constitute anti-slipping surfaces on the running board or step when the same is completed. The width of the reticulated sheet of metal 30 is such that after its central portion is depressed to conform to the contour of the upper surface of the frame IS, the web portions 34 of the edges of the sheet will overlap the side bars I1 and I8, and be flush with the outer vertical surfaces thereof. The web portions 34 of the side edges of the sheet are electro-forged to the side bars I! and. I8, that is, the webs are electro-welded under pressure, to said bars. The intensity of the current and the pressure is such that the webs 34 will be forced downwardly into the upper edge of the bars I! and I8 as shown in Figs..2, 5, and 6 of the drawings, and the metal, which will become more or less fluid, will flow into the depression caused by the pressure of the welding operation, thereby firmly welding the parts together. The pressure applied is such that the upper surface of the reticulated material 3!) willbe, forced downwardly to a position where the upper surface of the reticulated material will be slightly above the top of the frame when thewelding operation is completed. It has been found that if the top surface of the expanded metal sheet projects Th" above the frame after the welding operation is completed satisfactory results are obtained. This distance, of course, may be varied to suit different conditions. By extending the upper surface of the reticulated material slightly above the supportin bars, as shown at 34, Figs. 2 and 5, an anti-slipping surface is provided entirely across the frame, including this space above the frame members. The web portions at the ends of the reticulated sheet are likewise connected to the end bars, and the upper portion of the reticulated material extends slightly above the end bars in the same manner as already described. The reticulated material may be, and preferably is, also welded to the reinforcing members 22, as indicated at 290 in Fig. 4.

Suitable means are provided for attaching the sections to the roof of the car and to each other. Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose. In the form of the construction shown, which is by way of example only, the car roof is provided with brackets 31, which are rigidly attached to the roof and have upwardly extending flanges, to which a flange bar 38 is rigidly attached, as by means of the rivets 39. The bar 38 extends transversely of the car and has a laterally extending flange M, to which the frame sections I6 are secured. As shown in Fig. 2 one of the units I6 has attached at one of its ends a bracket 42 having an outwardly extending flange 43 which is adapted to seat on the flange 4| as shown in said figure. The adjacent end of the adjacent section I6 has attached thereto a bolt 44 which is adapted to extend down through aligned openings in the flanges 43 and M. The bolt 44 has a flattened head 44a, Fig. 3, which is adapted to be attached to one of the end members of the frame I6 as by means of the rivets 45. There is a bolt 44 at each side of the section I6 adjacent to the end thereof, and likewise the flange M has an opening at each end thereof, through which the bolts 44 extend. Suitable nuts 45 hold the bolts rigidly in position for holding the frame members in alignment on the roof of the car. The intermediate sections of the running board have the bolts at one end and the flange brackets at the other except the central section 41, shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The section 4! is adapted to occupy the central position on the car roof and in attaching the running board sections they will be attached from each end and then the central section will be dropped into position, thereby facilitating the assembly of the running board as described in my application Serial No. 252,373 filed for Running board.

In Fig. 7 is shown a modified form of means for attaching the sections I5 to the flange 4| of the flange bar 38 and to each other. As shown, the frames I6 have on one end an attaching angle bar 48, the vertical flange 49 of which is secured to the inner side of the end member of the frame I6 and has its horizontal flange 5| seated on the flange M and extending outwardly from the frame. The opposite end of the section I6 is provided with an angle bar-52 having its vertical flange 53 secured to the inner face of the end member of the frame I6 and its horizontal flange 54 extending inwardly from said end member and seated on the flange 5|. A bolt 55 extends through aligned openings in the overlapping flanges and holds the parts in assembled relation. The opening in the flange 54 is angular for receiving thesquared portion of the bolt 55 for preventing rotation of the bolt.

While the invention is disclosed as being embodied in a running board for a railwa car, it is understood that the same principle may be employed in the construction of brake steps or in the construction of walks, platforms, and the like that may be used in various relations.

t is thought from the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art and that changes in size, shape, proportion and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

A running board for railway cars, comprising a plurality of sections, each section comprising a single metallic strip bent to form a rectangular frame, a reinforcing rib extending lengthwise of the frame in the longitudinal vertical plane of the board and offset downwardly therefrom, and a strip of reticulated material welded to said frame and rib and forming a tread surface having its longitudinal central portion depressed, and having its upper surface extending but slightly above the plane of said frame.

2. A running board for railway cars, comprising a plurality of sections, each section comprising a single metallic strip bent to form a rectangular frame, a reinforcing member extending lengthwise of the frame in the longitudinal vertical plane of the board and offset downwardly therefrom, and having the ends of the reinforcing member Welded to the end Walls of the frame section, a reticulated strip of metal comprising webs and strands secured to the upper surface of said frame by Welding the webs, adjacent to the side frame members, to said members.

3. In a running board for vehicles, a frame comprising a Single strip of material bent to rectangular form having a reinforcing member extending from end to end of the frame along its longitudinal axis, the ends of said strip being welded to the contiguous part of said frame to form a rigid structure, reinforcing rods extending transversely through said reinforcing member and having their ends welded to the side members of said frame, and a reticulated sheet of metal coextensive with the upper surface of said frame and electro-forged to the upper surface of said frame.

4. A method of manufacturing a running board section which comprises bending a single strip of metal to form a complete frame, welding the ends of said strip to the contiguous portions of said frame, bending the longitudinal central portion of said frame downward, positioning a reticulated sheet of metal on said frame, forcing said sheet to conform to the contour of said frame, and electro-forging the web portions only of the reticulations of said sheet to the upper surfaces of said frames, and applying pressure to said Webs during the forging operation for depressing said webs into the top edges of said frame.

5. In a running board for railway cars, a plurality of sections, each section comprising a frame, a tread secured to said frame, means for securing said sections together and to a car, said means comprising brackets arranged in pairs, a supporting bar secured to each pair of brackets and each having a horizontal flange, a bracket secured to one end of one of said sections and. having an outwardly extending flange seated on the flange of said supporting bar, a bracket on one end of an adjacent section and having an inwardly extending flange seated on the secondnamed flange, said flanges having alined vertical openings, and a bolt extending downward through said openings.

6. A walkway comprising a reticulated tread of expanded metal lath and bearing members including flat metal bars set on edge and electrically welded to the under side of said tread intermediate the side edges thereof.

7. A metallic walkwa comprising a reticulated tread including a plurality of integral quadrilaterally-shaped units with one side of each unit lying in a higher horizontal plane than its opposite side and its opposite side joining the higher side of the next succeeding unit and bearing members comprising spaced metal bars set on edge and electrically welded to the underside of said tread intermediate the side edges thereof.

8. A metallic walkway comprising a reticulated tread of quadrilaterally-shaped units integral with each other and combined bearing and stiffening members for said tread including spaced metal bars set on edge and electrically welded to said tread adjacent to some of the junctions of said quadrilaterally-shaped units intermediate the sides of said reticulated tread.

9. A metallic walkway comprising a reticulated tread including a plurality of integral quadrilaterally-shaped units, the sides of the legs of said units being inclined from the vertical in the same direction with one side of each unit lying in a higher horizontal plane than its opposite side and its opposite side joining the higher side of the next succeeding unit and bearing members comprising flat bars set on edge and electrically welded to some of said units adjacent their points of intersection and intermediate the sides of the tread.

10. A walkway comprising a reticulated tread of expanded metal lath embodying a plurality of angular mesh portions, said plurality including portions having upstanding walls, and metallic members spaced from each other and extending downwardly from said tread and providing stiffening members therefor, said members each presenting a horizontal upper edge portion electrically welded to the underside of certain of said upstanding walls intermediate the side edges of the tread and forming an integral structure therewith.

11. A walkway comprising a reticulated tread of expanded metal lath embodying mesh units of angular form, certain of said units being arranged in alinement intermediate the opposite marginal edges of the tread and parallel to one dimension of the walkway and including walls upstanding to the plane of the tread and parallel to each other, and a metallic stiffening member extending downwardl from the tread and having a portion disposed edgewise in vertical alinement with and welded to said parallel upstanding walls of said alined units and forming an integral structure therewith.

HERBERT E. BARTSCH, 

